Police: Slain toddler had bite marks

The boyfriend of the child's mother has been charged with the 1-year-old boy's murder

July 23, 2010|By Ashley Kelly, akelly@dailypress.com | 757-247-4778

NEWPORT NEWS — When police found a 17-month-old boy dead Tuesday, he had several human bite marks on his body, according to court documents.

The boy, who was identified as Jireh Jahsean Gayles in an affidavit, had "several overlapping, human bite marks on his upper torso to include the stomach, chest and diaphragm area, as well as his legs and back." The boy was "cold to the touch and had no pulse" when police arrived at Aqua Vista Apartments Tuesday afternoon, and he had head injuries, according to an affidavit for a search warrant filed in Newport News Circuit Court. Gayles also had injuries consistent with a "clamping device with teeth."

The toddler was being watched by his mother's boyfriend, Darius Orlando Brown, at the time of his death. On Thursday Brown was charged with murder and four counts of malicious assault in the boy's death. According to police, the toddler died from "head trauma with blunt force abdominal trauma as a contributing factor."

The boy's mother told police that Brown volunteered to babysit the boy and his 5-year-old sister. Brown began calling her later in the day asking if, "Jireh usually sleeps standing up." He also told her, "he's just staring at me." According to the affidavit, he told Gayles' mother that the boy had fallen and bumped his head, but he was still breathing. Brown also said that the toddler kept falling over and getting back up.

"He then explained that Jireh had staggered to the bedroom, laid down on the bed and didn't move," the affidavit states. Gayles' mother asked Brown why he didn't call 911, according to the affidavit, but he told her he didn't call because he was scared. The mother called 911 from work.

Brown captured the boy's movements on his cell phone and insisted that police watch when they arrived at the apartment, according to the affidavit. The boy was described in the video as being "unsteady on his feet and falling to the ground," according to the court document. The boy's condition worsened with each video clip.

Gayles' sister told police she saw, "Darius punch, kick and bite Jireh," according to the affidavit.

A neighbor said he saw Brown outside with the boy at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Brown is currently in the Newport News City Jail.